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A Brief History Of Ruritan

 
        Ruritan started as an idea in the Virginia School system, an idea that two men had to fill a need for an organization in which community leaders could meet and and discuss ways of making their community a better place in which to live.  These two men: Jack Gwaltney and Tom Downing (later known as Uncle Tom), are known as the co-founders of Ruritan.  In the small rural town of Holland, Va., on May 21, 1928, the first Ruritan club was chartered with 35 charter members.  The first President was E. Taylor Batten.  Jack Gwaltney was the first Secretary.  At the time Tom Downing was not eligible to be a member of the club as he did not live in the Holland community when it was organized.  The original organization was patterned after Rotary, inasmuch as Rotary was very instrumental in helping Ruritan organize.  The Ruritan name was suggested by Miss Daisy Numey.   It was derived from a combination of Latin words for open country (ruri) and small town (tan), meaning "rural and small town life.

     These men were not content to keep Ruritan to themselves and as a result the second club was formed in Boykins, Va., and the third club was formed in Courtland, Va.  As the number of clubs grew, Ruritan National was formed by Virginia charter on July 7, 1930.  The first National Convention was held at Suffolk, Va. on January 15, 1932.  January was selected because it was convenient time of the year for farmers.  On June 13, 1931, the official emblem was approved.  The Ruritan Magazine was first published in 1930-31.   Dr. James S. Bland was elected the first President of Ruritan National.  In 1932 Ruritan expanded into Kentucky.  Districts were formed in 1934 as Ruritan grew.   Ruritan expanded into North Carolina in 1935 and spread into South Carolina in 1936.  National dues were set at 75 cents per member per year and the first Community Service plaque award was issued.  Over 500 Ruritans served in the armed forces during WWII.  In 1939 the first club  was formed in Stockton, MD, but it dropped its charter.  In 1946 Tom Downing became Executive Secretary and the first club formed in West Virginia.  1947 saw Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, and Tennessee added as Ruritan became prominent in the south: 188 clubs in in 12 states.   Mississippi was added in 1949 and the Ruritan lapel pin approved.

     Maryland again entered Ruritan in 1951, this time to stay.  The Keedysville club was chartered which eventually became the beginning of the district; Lothian club and Rohersville followed in 1952.  1953 saw Maugansville and Burkettsville come into the fold.  In 1954, Downsville, District 12, Pinesburg (now disbanded) and Pleasant Valley were chartered.  As a result of the expansion, the Maryland District was formed.  The first Maryland District (9 clubs-over 300 members) convention was held on Nov. 17, 1954 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, in Burkittsville, MD.  According to Rome Schwagel, the District Governor, the convention had a great attendance and the church was overflowing.  Zone Governors were: Amos C. Baer, Maugansville; William Hovermale, Rohersville; and Keister N. Adams, Annapolis.

     Taken from the first convention booklet, Ruritan came to Maryland in Oct. 1951 when Red Gray, our National Executive Secretary, visited Keedysville.  Through his untiring efforts, our first club, Keedysville was chartered on November 14, 1951.  The club was made part of the Rappahannock District in Virginia.  The Lothian club (second chartered) was formed on June 23, 1952 as a result of Red Gray stopping on his way back to Virginia to visit a friend, Keister Adams.   (Keister is co-founder and currently a member of  the Davidsonville Club).

     In 1955, the district continued to expand in Maryland with Leitersburg, Davidsonville and Jefferson.  In 1955 the first club in Pennsylvania, State Line was chartered followed by Hunterstown and Shady Grove.  1957 saw the first West Virginia club chartered in the District - Marlowe, followed by Bedington in 1958.  As friends and neighbors continued to reach out and spread the ideals of Ruritan to neighboring communities, Ruritan continued to expand at a great rate throughout the three states in the 1950's.  At the Ruritan National Convention in New Orleans, LA, the Potomac District was formed.  According to the minutes of the Executive Committee meeting, held on Jan. 25, 1964, at the Jung Hotel, the request from the Maryland District to change the name to Potomac was approved upon a motion by Tom Downing and seconded by Floyd Lower.  The first Potomac District convention was held at the Turf Valley Country Club in Ellicott City, MD.  Earl Minnich was the first Governor; Harry Tresslor, the first Secretary; and Earl Garvin, Jr., the first Treasurer. (Ruritan did not have a Lt. Governor at this time as the Zone Governors acted as Lt. Governors.)  The District was comprised of 5 Zones.  Expansion continued in Pennsylvania as Zone 6 was added in 1971 and ten years later Zone 7 became a reality.

     It didn't take long for the Potomac District Ruritans to make their presence known at Ruritan National for in 1958, Rome F. Schwagel from the Keedysville club was elect Ruritan National President and later served as National Director for 1959, 1960 and 1961.

reprinted from the Ruritan National website

updated 07/15/2008 - jody